Cliff Josephy: Two-Time WSOP Bracelet Winner and Online Poker Pioneer

Cliff Josephy built his reputation in two different eras of tournament poker. Known online as “JohnnyBax,” the American professional became one of the dominant names of the early online tournament scene before adding two World Series of Poker bracelets and a third-place finish in the 2016 WSOP Main Event to his live résumé.

Josephy has remained a tournament presence decades after his rise online. As of September 2026, Hendon Mob lists more than $9.3 million in live tournament earnings for Josephy, including a career-best $3,453,035 score from the 2016 Main Event.

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Who Is Cliff Josephy?

Cliff Josephy is an American poker player from New York who became widely known under his online screen name, JohnnyBax. His career spans the growth of online tournament poker, the poker training and staking boom of the 2000s, and more than two decades of live tournament competition.

Josephy came to poker after working in the financial industry. In a 2016 profile, PokerNews reported that he had worked as a stockbroker and analyst before becoming increasingly interested in poker in the early 2000s. His success online soon turned the game from a hobby into his primary pursuit.

That online background became a defining part of his poker identity. PokerNews reported that Josephy reached the No. 1 position in the PocketFives worldwide online poker rankings, and a later retrospective credited him with holding the top ranking for 74 consecutive weeks from April 2005 to September 2006.

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The JohnnyBax Online Poker Years

Josephy emerged during a period when online tournament poker was creating a new generation of professionals. Playing as JohnnyBax, he established a reputation as a high-level multi-table tournament player before many online stars had accumulated comparable live résumés.

His influence extended beyond his own results. Josephy and Eric “Sheets” Haber became prominent poker backers and educators, and the two were associated with PokerXFactor, an influential online poker training site.

Josephy also backed players competing in major live tournaments. One of the most notable examples came in the 2009 WSOP Main Event champion Joe Cada, whom Josephy financially backed during Cada’s run to the world championship.

That combination of playing, teaching and backing gave Josephy a place in the development of the online tournament community that went beyond his own tournament winnings.

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Cliff Josephy’s WSOP Bracelets

Josephy has won two World Series of Poker bracelets, with the victories coming eight years apart and in different poker formats.

2005 Seven-Card Stud Bracelet

Josephy’s first WSOP cash became a bracelet victory. At the 2005 World Series of Poker, he won the $1,500 Seven-Card Stud event for $192,150.

The result was notable because Seven-Card Stud was not the game on which Josephy had built his online reputation. WSOP later reported that he had learned the game shortly before entering the tournament.

The victory established Josephy as more than an online specialist and gave him a major live title early in his poker career.

2013 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout Bracelet

Eight years later, Josephy won his second bracelet in a format much closer to his primary tournament background.

He defeated a 477-entry field in the 2013 WSOP $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout, earning $299,486. According to the WSOP account of Josephy’s second bracelet, the final table included accomplished professionals such as David “Bakes” Baker, Ryan Hughes, Chris Klodnicki, Max Steinberg and Tim West.

The win gave Josephy a WSOP title in no-limit hold’em and confirmed that his tournament success had carried from the early online era into a changing live poker environment.

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2016 WSOP Main Event Final Table

Josephy’s largest live tournament result came more than a decade after his first bracelet.

The 2016 WSOP Main Event attracted 6,737 players, and Josephy advanced to the nine-player final table as the chip leader with 74.6 million chips. He was also the only player at that final table who had previously won a WSOP bracelet.

His run ultimately ended in third place. Josephy collected $3,453,035, which remains his largest recorded live tournament cash as of September 2026.

Qui Nguyen went on to win the 2016 Main Event, while Gordon Vayo finished second. The WSOP final recap records Josephy’s third-place payout and the final stages of his run.

The result dramatically increased Josephy’s live tournament earnings and gave the longtime online standout his most visible performance on poker’s biggest tournament stage.

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Other Major Tournament Results

Although the 2016 Main Event accounts for Josephy’s largest payday, his live record includes significant results across several eras.

Before his Main Event run, he finished second in the 2006 UltimateBet Aruba Poker Classic Championship for $446,975. In January 2017, shortly after his WSOP Main Event final table, he finished second in a $5,000 no-limit hold’em event at the PokerStars Championship Bahamas for $403,448.

One of his largest victories arrived much later.

In December 2025, Josephy won a $3,000 no-limit hold’em event during the WPT World Championship festival at Wynn Las Vegas. The tournament drew 1,544 entries, and Josephy defeated Ben Ramon heads-up to collect $700,157. PokerNews reported that the final table also included players such as Jack Duong and Shannon Shorr.

The $700,157 payday became Josephy’s second-largest recorded live tournament score, behind only his 2016 WSOP Main Event finish.

Players interested in the Las Vegas property where Josephy recorded that victory can also read the Angry Aces Poker Wynn Las Vegas Poker Room Guide.

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Cliff Josephy’s Career Earnings

As of September 2026, Hendon Mob lists Cliff Josephy with $9,392,200 in live tournament earnings and a best live cash of $3,453,035.

Tournament earnings databases can change as additional results are recorded or corrected, so career totals should be treated as a snapshot rather than a permanent figure.

Josephy’s earnings have accumulated across more than two decades of live tournament play. His résumé includes WSOP bracelet victories, a WSOP Main Event final table, major runner-up finishes and his $700,157 victory during the 2025 WPT World Championship festival.

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Does Cliff Josephy Have a WPT Title?

Josephy has recorded numerous results in events associated with the World Poker Tour, but his 2025 victory at Wynn was a festival side event rather than a WPT Main Tour championship.

Accordingly, it should not be confused with a WPT Main Tour title.

His career is instead most closely identified with his two WSOP bracelets, his online accomplishments as JohnnyBax and his 2016 WSOP Main Event run.

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Cliff Josephy’s Playing Style and Poker Reputation

Josephy’s record supports his reputation primarily as a tournament specialist, particularly in no-limit hold’em. His early online success came from multi-table tournaments, while his live career includes major no-limit hold’em results ranging from shootouts to large-field championship events.

His first bracelet also demonstrated an ability to succeed outside his primary format, as it came in Seven-Card Stud.

Rather than defining Josephy by a single tactical label, his career is better characterized by longevity and adaptation. He became an elite online tournament player during poker’s early internet boom, won live titles in different formats and continued producing significant results against later generations of tournament professionals.

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Cliff Josephy’s Impact on Poker

Josephy’s significance in poker extends beyond his live tournament record.

His JohnnyBax screen name became closely associated with the early era of ranked online tournament poker. His involvement in poker training helped bring high-level online tournament analysis to other players, while his backing activities connected him to the careers of numerous professionals.

His association with Joe Cada’s 2009 WSOP Main Event championship is one of the best-known examples. Seven years later, Josephy reached the Main Event final table himself and entered it with the chip lead.

That progression — from online standout and backer to two-time bracelet winner and Main Event finalist — gives Josephy a career that intersects several important stages in modern tournament poker.

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Is Cliff Josephy Still Playing Poker?

Yes. Tournament records show Josephy remained active in major live events through the summer of 2026.

After winning $700,157 at Wynn in December 2025, Josephy returned to Las Vegas competition in 2026. He finished eighth in the $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller at the WSOP for $105,178, placed fourth in a $5,000 Seniors High Roller at the Wynn Summer Classic for $69,320 and later cashed in the WSOP $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em event.

Those results show that Josephy continues to compete in significant live tournaments more than 20 years after his first WSOP bracelet.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many WSOP bracelets does Cliff Josephy have?

Cliff Josephy has two WSOP bracelets. He won the $1,500 Seven-Card Stud event in 2005 and the $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout in 2013.

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What is Cliff Josephy’s poker nickname?

Josephy is widely known by his longtime online poker screen name, “JohnnyBax.” The name became closely associated with his success during the early years of online tournament poker.

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How much has Cliff Josephy won in live poker tournaments?

As of September 2026, Hendon Mob lists Cliff Josephy with $9,392,200 in live tournament earnings. Career tournament totals can change as new results are recorded.

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What is Cliff Josephy’s biggest poker cash?

Josephy’s largest recorded live tournament cash is $3,453,035 for finishing third in the 2016 WSOP Main Event.

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Did Cliff Josephy win the WSOP Main Event?

No. Josephy finished third in the 2016 WSOP Main Event. Qui Nguyen won the tournament and Gordon Vayo finished second.

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Did Cliff Josephy back Joe Cada?

Yes. Josephy was a financial backer of Joe Cada during Cada’s victory in the 2009 WSOP Main Event.

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Is Cliff Josephy still an active poker player?

Yes. Josephy recorded multiple significant tournament results in 2026, including an eighth-place finish in the WSOP $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller and a fourth-place finish in the Wynn Summer Classic $5,000 Seniors High Roller.